


Snippets

by Casandravus



Category: Neko no Ongaeshi | The Cat Returns
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:15:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23689048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casandravus/pseuds/Casandravus
Summary: Everything comes together, piece by piece. A collection of story ideas, Secret Santa/Birthday Bash prompts, and shameless fluff.
Relationships: Baron Humbert von Gikkingen/Yoshioka Haru, Lune/Yuki (Neko no Ongaeshi)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 20





	1. Role Reversal

This is my TCR Secret Santa 2019 gift to letterstoathens. This was extremely fun to write!

* * *

"Hiromi again, Machida? Why don't you just — what on earth?" Baron holds his arm out to stop his best friend, eyes glued on a small white cat holding a dainty box in her mouth.

"Cat burglar?" Machida asks.

Baron rolls his eyes. "Ha ha."

"Wait a sec - the light's turning green, the cat's gonna - BARON!"

As if on instinct, Baron grabs Machida's lacrosse stick and swoops the white cat to safety, rolling over a curb and into some bushes on the next block. "Ow…"

The white cat stands up prettily on her hind legs. "Thank you for saving my life," she says with a bow. "My name is Yuki. How can I repay you?"

Baron runs a hand through his tawny hair. "Yuki, eh? It suits you. I don't take payment for helping others - a simple 'thank you' will suffice."

If Yuki were human, she'd be smiling. "Then thank you again. I've got to run - take care!" She falls back onto her front legs, grabs the box, and runs through the other side of the bushes.

"Baron! That idiot truck driver left just took off, are you all right?"

He shakes his head to clear it. "I'm fine, Machida. Let's go back to our flats."

* * *

Paws. On his chest. _Kneading_ , Baron thinks sleepily. _I haven't had a cat since — wait a second_! He flails around for the light switch and gasps when he can finally see.

Bulging, mismatched eyes that have seen some things try to bore into his soul.

"Thanks for saving my daughter, babe," the fat, purple-grey tom on his chest says.

"I… Your daughter? You don't mean Yuki?"

"She's the crown princess of the Cat Kingdom!" A blue cat dressed in a kimono paws Baron's arm. "I am Natori, the King's advisor, and we have come to offer - "

"We want you to be the prince consort of the Cat Kingdom, babe. What d'ya say?"

"WHAT? Absolutely not!"

"Baron, are you all right?" Machida puts his spare key into Baron's door. "Who are you - HOLY SMOKES? Are you rehearsing for _Cats_!?"

"No. I was just telling these felines to LEAVE," Baron yells, pointing out the window. "I don't care how you lot leave, just get out of my flat!"

"Here's the Scroll of Offerings if you change your mind," Natori says, setting it on Baron's bureau.

* * *

The sharp click of heels echoes around the royal ballroom, signaling the presence of a woman. "Your Majesty, might I have a chance at winning the gentleman's smile?"

Something about her voice sounds... _familiar_... but Baron can't be bothered to figure out why. All he knows is that she's dressed in a navy gown with yellow trimmings, and wearing a very angled mask.

"Go ahead and try, babe. He's being obstinate."

"Would you like to dance? I hear it's an activity that brings comfort to some occasions in the Human Kingdom."

For the first time since being dragged here, Baron really looks around him and at the woman in front of him. "Sure, I guess?"

She leads him gingerly around the table and to the center of the ballroom. "A waltz, please?"

A fat cat - Baron can't tell who it is from his seat - starts a romantic instrumental piece on the accordion. As the woman - who strangely hasn't turned into a cat yet - leads him around the room, Baron's awestruck. _I haven't had a dancing partner since Louise_... Whiskers appear on his face. "Drat!"

"Watch yourself, Baron," she mutters. "I told you before this all started, didn't I?"

Because of the heels, he actually has to look up at her. "Miss Haru?"

"Stop right there!" King Phoebus yells, knife in paw. "Unhand my son-in-law, you usurper!"

She laughs - and not politely, either. Her chuckles are loud enough to make all the nobility halt and stare. "Me, the usurper? You're the one who kidnapped an unwilling human and brought him here - that goes against a good number of the royal decrees!" Haru throws the hat aside.

"I am Haru Yoshioka, and I'm here for the Baron von Gikkigen!"

Phoebus bristles and growls. "Get her! And bring back my son-in-law!"

"I'm not married yet, Your Highness!" Baron yells as Haru throws some smoke grenades to the floor.

Under the drinks table, Haru raises a brow. "Any ideas?"

A grey cat with blue eyes pats Haru's hands. "There's the servants' tunnel right over there, I think you can go that way and make it to the labyrinth safely," Lune leads them to a fake wall and into a narrow tunnel.

"Go ahead, Baron! I'll catch up, I need to get out of this infernal dress and lose the heels!"

Lune runs Baron down the tunnel, exiting in a hidden alcove near the labyrinth entrance. "This is your way out. You need to get out of here by climbing to the top of that tower before the next human sunrise... According to my calculations, you have about four hours."

"What? It's noon!"

"It's always noon here, Baron," Haru says, panting slightly. She snorts when Baron nearly jumps out of his skin. "Told you I'd catch up!"

Muta growls furiously. "Haru, what is it with you leaving me to be the bait!? I could've been killed!" Muta yells, shaking a paw as he pushes himself out of the tunnel.

She puts two fingers in her mouth and whistles a tune. "That's my signal for Toto. I'm hoping we're close enough to the exit for him to have heard it."

"I'm going to call for backup - good luck!" Lune rushes off through a different tunnel.

"I wonder if his voice is the one that directed me to the Refuge," Baron says softly.

"We can investigate that after you're home safe. We've really gotta run though!"

* * *

Baron, Haru, and Muta cheat, starting at the top of the labyrinth's walls. Cats in military coat colors chase the trio before Baron and Haru jump into the heart of the maze. Muta knocks out the military cats and joins them, extremely irate with the pair. "We're right in the middle of the maze! You're telling me you two haven't made any progress yet?!"

"Something's not right about this, I just can't figure out what it is!" Haru says. "I know we normally wing rescues, but this is a bit ridiculous!"

"This wall's fake!" Baron kicks it down, discovering a straight line to the tower's halfway point. The trio runs to the tower and starts up the stairs when the ground beneath them rumbles.

"Baron, hold onto me!" Haru wraps one arm around him and one around the pillar beside her. After the crash, she checks him for injuries. "You look fine to me," she says with a blush. "Muta, you all right?"

"Yeah yeah. Looks like we're back where we started, though..." he trails off, noticing that dead-eyed look on Haru's face.

After a long moment, she breaks the silence. "Do it."

"Chicky, are you _sure_? You don't know where - "

"Just do it! I'm _**not**_ losing another client to this lunatic!"

"Up ya go, Baron. It's been fun, but we'll see you later!" Muta throws the tawny feline up to the last staircase of the tower.

"Run, Baron! We'll see you around!"

"Thank you Haru! Muta!"

* * *

A muffled groan erupts from Baron's seat. "Watch where you're goin', kid... Oh! It's good to see ya."

"Hello, Muta. Sorry I sat on you again. A slice of angel food cake for your trouble?"

A bell chimes from the town square.

"I gotta go - wanna bring a slice of cake to the Bureau later? We need to catch you up on everything, and thank you properly for giving us a hilarious adventure."

"I'm... Afraid I don't know the way, Muta. Can you take me? Later this afternoon perhaps?"

"Sure thing, kid. See ya around."


	2. Sanctuary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a fun AU idea I had in the TCR Discord server - I hope to actually turn this into a completed story someday!

"Haru, are you sure you won't come with us?" her mother asked. "It's a beautiful day, and Louise - "  
  


"It's fine, really. I need to finish these hats before the morning's out," Haru gestured to the group of hat stands behind her. "Besides, I'll probably just break something again."  
  


Naoko sighed. "All right dear. Well, girls, let's be on our way then…"  
  


The other women who worked at the Yoshioka Hatting Shop filed out obediently, talking about possible May Day happenings. "I've heard that the Baron von Gikkingen might stop by!" Henrietta said.   
  


Haru was suddenly stilled by fear. The Baron von Gikkingen, if rumors were to be believed, collected people with worthy hearts who owed magical debts. While that word held many meanings, the gossips always assumed he targeted women - sometimes, they said he faked debts just to snatch people away - but it was equalizing beauty to worth that always bothered her.  
  


"Even if the rumors were true, I owe no debt. Other than Louise and Hiromi, I don't know anyone who does magic. I didn't even inherit it," she wiped a tear from her eye.  
  


Ms. Beaumont's forget-me-not cloche glimmered. The way Mr. Endicott's white homburg seemed to shift itself on its stand? Haru attributed that to the wind.   
  


Shaking her head to clear her mind of self-pitying thoughts, Haru spent the next couple of hours putting finishes on the hats she'd already made. She talked to them, telling them about her hopes for them with their eventual orders. When the clock struck noon, she put down her work. "I promised Louise I'd stop by the pastry shop and have a chat," she apologized. "I'll be back to work on you all soon."  
  


The walk to Louise's shop was short, but the massive crowd near the entryway made Haru's pulse race. "I'll go round the back," she muttered to herself. She found a nearby alley, and ran down it.   
  


She was not expecting two off-duty guards to accost her. "Look at this one," one of them said. "Timid as a mouse."  
  


Haru flushes. "Excuse me, gentlemen, I have somewhere to be just now."  
  


"In a random alleyway?" the other guard asked. "What business does a little mouse like you have in a place like this?"  
  


"I'm heading to my sister's pastry shop, now if you will kindly excuse me - " she tried to shoulder past them.   
  


" _There_ you are, darling!" a distinctly High Common accent interrupted. "I've been searching everywhere for you!"   
  


"Oh, thank goodness!" Haru wrung her hands together, playing along despite not knowing the man under the cat head - _**surely** it's a costume?_   
  


"My apologies for being late; I got lost in the crowd. We'll be leaving now."  
  


The guards made to grab her, but the mysterious cat-costumed man magicked them to another part of town. "Don't worry; they're safe and no worse for the wear. How are you?" he asks, green eyes sparkling.   
  


"I'm - what are those!?" she shrieked, pointing at two black blobs forming from the ground.  
  


He sighed. "The work of the Witch of the Waste. We can't outrun them - jump!"   
  


For whatever reason, she trusted him enough to do so.   
  


" _Wow_ ," she breathed as they walked in the air, his arm around her waist. "The city is beautiful from here!"   
  


He smiled "It truly is. Is that dress shop there too out of your way?"   
  


Haru shook her head. "It's on the way; thank you."  
  


The gentleman walked her down to the upper balcony. "I'll draw them off; please don't go outside for a little while."  
  


"Okay," she says, suddenly reluctant to leave him.  
  


"Thank you," he tipped his hat before flying away.   
  


She gaped after him until he was well out of sight.

* * *

  
"Haru, that was the Baron von Gikkingen!" Louise wagged her finger at her step-sister. "What were you thinking!?"  
  


"He saved me from two guards that were going to assault me. I'm thinking I owe him my life, now," she shrugged. "Say, is he _really_ a cat?"  
  


"You mean you don't know!?"  
  


"If I knew, I wouldn't ask. You know I don't take gossip seriously. I thought it might've been a costume!"  
  


"Nobody really knows why - lots of rumors, though! - but he truly is half-cat! You better hope he doesn't come to call on you, or you really will owe him your life!"

***

"Really, Hiromi," Haru said to her as they finished their picnic lunch. "I'm too ordinary for any wizard, let alone one with his reputation."  
  


The middle sister sighed. "The Baron does have a mighty reputation, Sis… And he did save you. Be careful."  
  


"I'm the oldest of three. Even if Louise is our step-sister, she's still our sister… We all know what happens to the eldest of three. I'm doomed to spinsterhood."  
  


"It's not funny, Haru."  
  


"If I don't laugh, I'll sink into despair. I need to go back to the shop; you'll come back for your derby hat fitting in the afternoon?"  
  


"Of course. I'll see you then."  
  


Hiromi sighed. "I'm not so sure about that…"

* * *

  
An unusual patron came to call on the shop later that evening.   
  


"Sorry, we're closed. You'll have to come back tomorrow!"   
  


The woman ignored Haru's call. "This place reeks of latent magic. Tell me, girl, who makes the hats here?"  
  


"We're closed, ma'am. Please leave," Haru tried again.   
  


"This trilby is loaded with love magic. What did you do?"  
  


"I don't know what you're talking about! I didn't inherit any magic! I'm the eldest of three!"  
  


"Do not lie to me!" the woman raises her hands. "Once more - what did you do to the hats here!?"  
  


"I'm not lying! Please just come back tomorrow, I'm sure my mother can - "  
  


The woman runs through Haru. "For lying to the Witch of the Waste, you shall be cursed to dwell in the depths of your worst insecurities. You shall be cursed, unable to lie and unable to speak of this night."  
  


"But I did - " Haru's mouth shut itself. "Mmph! Mm!"  
  


"I'm sure I'll see you again," the Witch laughed as she faded away.  
  


Just like that, Haru was alone.   
  


"What do I do now?"


	3. The Date (Disaster Edition)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a date goes wrong, Haru can count on her best friends to cheer her up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of Cups of Tea by Catsafari, written with her permission. Cat is in the UK while I’m from the US, so there may be some differences in how we refer to things, but I'm using UK terminology as much as I can.

"Haru, I know you weren’t looking forward to that date. But I didn’t expect this. What happened?” Hiromi asks, kneeling by the sofa and rubbing her flatmate’s back. 

Haru’s voice is muddled by sobs and the throw cushion she’s buried her face in. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

Haru lifts her head; her eyes are puffy and her face is mottled. “Machida is a jerk. He seemed nice enough, and we actually had a lot in common! Then, at the end of it, he says, 'It's been fun, but my girlfriend's probably sick of my family setting me up on dates; I gotta go.' As stupid as it is, it really hurt my feelings. Two hours of talking about common interests and actually getting along, for nothing!” 

Hiromi’s expression darkens. “Didn't they think to ask if he was seeing someone!?”

“My aunt was apparently in on his family trying to get him to dump his girlfriend over some small slight. Mum went ballistic on her! No more family reunions for me now!” She buries her head back in the throw cushion. 

_[New Chat Open. Hiromi H., Ronaldo M. (Muta), Toto S., Baron G.]_

_Hiromi: Guys. I’m gonna need backup here._  
_Muta: ?_  
_Toto: Backup for what, exactly?_  
_Baron: Wasn’t today Haru’s date with that neighbor son of her aunt’s?_  
_Hiromi: Yes, and it was a disaster - like... Here._  
_Hiromi: [1 video attached]_  
_Hiromi: This is how she’s been since she got back to our flat. HELP._  
_Muta: Stupid question alert, has she been crying like that the entire time?_  
_Hiromi: YES. That’s why I’m texting you lot! I haven't seen her this upset in ages!_  
_Toto: What happened?_  
_Hiromi: I’ll let her tell you that herself when we’re all together later. Our flat’s a no-go, Haru needs out of here so she doesn’t isolate herself. Toto, Muta, what about your flat?_  
_Toto: Absolutely —_  
_Muta: Not. Toilet’s being redone, remember?_  
_Baron: Just use mine, it’s the biggest between all of us and the only one not impacted by remodels. I’ll have a new tea blend ready._  
_Hiromi: You’re a life-saver, Baron. Thanks so much._  
_Toto: Muta and I will run to the market for some things she likes._  
_Muta: And dinner on me. Let us know what you all want._  
_Hiromi: [a long line of heart emojis]_  
_Hiromi: Thanks, guys._

“Wanna go round to Baron's?” Hiromi tries after locking her phone. “I have it on good authority he's making a new tea blend.”

“That would be lovely,” Haru rubs her eyes and exhales. “Sorry for being whingy over a guy I didn’t even know. I really thought - ”

“Do not apologize for having feelings. We’ll help you feel better soon.”

“I’m just gonna take a quick shower and change into something cozy. Shouldn’t take but about thirty minutes for me to be ready.” 

* * *

Baron hears a familiar rapping on his door as he’s finishing his special blend of tea. “It’s open!”

The girls enter, promptly collapsing on his sofa. Hiromi lays her head on Haru’s shoulder for a moment, making gentle shushing noises. “I’m so sorry,” she says. “I wish I could do more.”

“H-Hiromi. You got us a night in, and Muta is buying dinner. I mean, i-it was his turn anyway, b-but still,” her breath shudders as she speaks. “I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Baron walks over with a cup of tea and silently offers it to Haru. 

“Thanks,” she gives him a watery smile. “Care to join us? I know I’m a blubbering mess, but - ”

He obliges and hugs her instantly. “That’s all right. We haven’t had a good cry-fest in a while; we’re a bit overdue, I think.”

The girls laugh at that. 

About forty-five minutes later, Toto and Muta practically fall into Baron’s living room. “It’s a lot of stuff, can we get some help?”

Together, the five friends sort and put away all the food and drinks. 

“Hey, most of this is stuff I like,” Haru notices. She gives Hiromi the side-eye. “What did you say?”

Hiromi puts her hands up. “I told them your date was a disaster and that I needed backup to help you feel better. Everything else was on them.”

“Aw, thanks guys.”

Toto breaks the ice. "What happened?" 

“Okay, so, my aunt had me text this guy - Machida - ” she says his name as if it’s bile, “For a few days. We agreed to meet at Crossroads, at that little cafe with the yellow awning. In text, and for almost the entirety of our date, he seemed really nice. We got on really well, had a lot of common interests; that sinking feeling in my gut never really went away though." Haru rubs a hand over her face, frustrated. "I'm so sick of always being right about this..."  
  
"Do you need a breather?" Hiromi asks gently.  
  
"Yeah. I'll be back in a few minutes," she walks into Baron's guest bathroom. 

Muta runs a hand through his hair, sighing. "Worse than the other ones, huh?  
  
Hiromi grabs a spare pillow and punches it. "Just wait, you don't even know the half of it. Her _mother_ is furious about the whole thing. I'll let Haru tell you the rest though."  
  
Toto and Baron whistle. "Her _mother_?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Haru laughs, startling her friends. "I don't think I've ever seen her that mad at anyone in the family... Anyway, so Machida and I really got on, and I thought it was going great! Then he says, 'It's been fun, but my girlfriend's probably sick of my family setting me up on dates, I gotta go.'"  
  
"WHAT?" Muta yells. "Did your aunt know he was seeing someone!?"  
  
Haru nods, digging the heels of her hands into her eyes in an attempt to keep what little composure she has left. "Yeah. My aunt was in on his family trying to break it off with his girlfriend; apparently the girlfriend committed a small slight against them and they've hated her since."

Baron moves to the kitchen to pour Haru another cup of tea, staying silent. He does everything loudly though, clueing the others in on the fact that he’s much angrier than he’s verbally letting on. He gives her a fresh cup of tea, but before she takes it, she puts one hand over his. _His hands are so tense, he could break this cup and saucer._

“Baron, are you all right?” 

“I am hurt on your behalf, Haru. No woman - especially not one as kind-hearted and lovely as you - deserves to be treated like that. Absolutely unacceptable, and shame on your aunt for roping you into such a scheme.”

Haru blushes at the compliment, smiling. “Thank you. Now that that’s off my chest, let’s eat!”

After a couple hours of eating and joking around, Toto, Muta, and Hiromi all decide to leave - temporarily - at the same time. “There are a couple movies I want to grab from our flat,” she says when Haru raises an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t be too long.”

Muta rolls his shoulders. “We’re gonna go get the Wii. We have Smash Brothers, Mario Kart, and a couple other games.”

“We will be back soon, send a text if you need or want anything,” Toto says, closing the door behind him. 

Haru sighs. “Sorry to be a downer today, Baron. My instinct about this sort of thing is - _frustratingly_ \- almost never wrong, but I didn’t think it would be that bad.” 

“Your family _does_ have a pretty abysmal record with matchmaking, but I think this one takes the cake." Baron bites his bottom lip for a second, then stands up and messes with his entertainment system. After a few minutes, soft music plays through his television. “Haru, would you... Care to dance?” 

She guffaws. “You're - you're having me on, right? _You_ of all people know exactly how lousy my dancing is!”

“Just trust me.” 

Something about the light in his eyes and determined expression makes Haru concede. “Don’t blame me if you get injured - I gave you fair warning,” she takes his hand. He waltzes her around the flat, easily dodging her feet when they don’t land quite where they’re supposed to. He spins her out, pulls her in. About three minutes in, she’s laughing. “I think we have a world record for no injuries on the dance floor!"

Cracking Baron’s entry door open quietly, Hiromi and Toto take pictures on their mobiles. It’s only when Muta quietly clears his throat that the trio knocks on the door. “We’re back!” 

Haru jumps about five feet back and trips. “Halloween’s OVER, you guys! Jeez!” 

Baron’s ears are an interesting shade of red, but he scrambles for his dignity by coughing. “What game shall we play first?”  
  
"MARIO KART!" 

* * *

  
  
3:35 a.m.  
  
Baron's eyes shoot open, and he grabs the hand reaching blindly over the edge of his bed. "Haru?" he murmurs, concerned.  
  
"I had a bad dream," she giggles in low tones. "Sorry. Just kind of reached out on instinct."  
  
"Not a problem." He takes a breath for courage. If they weren't alone - or if he wasn't so exhausted - he probably wouldn't have the nerve to ask her this. "Would you like to holds hands while we sleep?"  
  
She squeezes his hand hard. "Only if you want to."  
  
To make their hand-holding easier, Baron props himself up with a couple extra pillows. "Tonight really was a lot of fun, wasn't it?"  
  
"It was, Baron. Thanks."  
  
"My pleasure, Haru."  
  
_I wonder if he'd hold hands with me while we're with the others..._ is the last thought she has before drifting off to sleep.


	4. Hunters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haru Yoshioka was more concerned with relocating monsters than killing them. The Baron von Gikkingen would slay every monster alive if he had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for the TCR Secret Santa Exchange 2020! Of all the prompts my recipient gave, "Monster Hunter AU" was what stuck out the most and this is what came out. I hope to continue this when the mood strikes me to do so.
> 
> Thanks to YarningChick over at FFN for the inspiration with the crossover characters!
> 
> Happy Christmas, Cat!

Haru Yoshioka was more concerned with relocating monsters than killing them.

Certainly, if one ever attacked an innocent or was unable to be reasoned, she _could_ kill it… She just didn’t want to. Her skills with a scythe were far above typical monster-hunting caliber, but her heart just wasn’t in the violence. It was in the peace-making and the mending of wounds. 

She led a Kelpie pony to the city bay sometime around midnight, giving it rotted animal flesh to satisfy its hunger. “This water has bodies of all kinds for you to eat, and if you swim down far enough, you’ll find a portal to one of those magical schools where your kind are allowed to swim without limitation.”  
  
“Ooh! Children?” the Kelpie grinned back, blood falling from its mouth. “Do they let children - ?”  
  
Haru rolled her eyes, disdain clear in the gesture. “For some idiotic reason, yes, they let older children in the lake with water monsters. Absolutely barbaric, but nothing I can do about it since I’m in a different dimension. Should be about two miles deep, to the northwest. Rumor is it glows, so you shouldn’t have any problems finding it.”  
  
The Kelpie squealed excitedly, her body making quite a big splash. “Thanks, Haru!”  
  
“...Don’t mention it. Really. Don’t.” She waved the pony off and turned from the pier, already exhausted at the _thought_ of her long walk home.

Not only did she have to avoid fighting Rogues, she also had to make sure to stay hidden from the Hunters who wanted to kill her for her own refusal to kill. Thus, a walk that would’ve taken her maybe half an hour turned into a two-hour game of hide-and-seek, where she was the hider and the world would seek her out.  
  


* * *

  
  
The Baron von Gikkingen would slay every monster alive if he had to. He didn’t particularly care about the Blight that dotted the midday sky with every monster slain. All that mattered to him in this moment was avenging his parents, who’d both been killed by Shiyu, the omukade. He’d been following leads on omukade murders for well over a year when he finally got close to their colony.  
  
There were _hundreds_ of them. Some were still small - hatchlings, Baron wagered - and some were gigantic. There was still no sign of Shiyu, who’d been rumored to be the center of the entire thing and the reason the monsters kept reproducing. The center of the hive mind, the one giving the orders: _kill and eat, kill and eat_ . The sun started to set and he cursed under his breath; he had to _go_ .  
  
Sure, he _could_ risk staying, but that was akin to suicide, which wouldn’t exactly be conducive to avenging his parents. 

Baron stumbled into the city streets in record time, frustration causing his tail to twitch. He glared at the sidewalk as he headed home, as if somehow it could help him puzzle out where the heck Shiyu was. He couldn’t have gone far; omukades _died_ without the mind of their nests, so -  
  
“Oops!” a steadying hand grabbed his elbow. “I’m so sorry! Are you all right?”  
  
For a moment, all in the world was brown and green.  
  
“I’m fine, thank you,” Baron said, brushing himself off. “No harm done.”  
  
The woman stepped back and gave a bow to hide the blush on her face. “I’ll be off then.”  
  
“Wait - what’s your name?”  
  
She stopped. Eyed his cane, eyed _him_ , and the forest he’d just left from. “You don’t want to know,” she told him after a too-long pause. “From the state of your cane, I’d guess you’re a monster hunter, right?”  
  
Baron nodded.  
  
“Then… Who I am doesn’t matter. We won’t see each other again.” 

* * *

  
He thought about her for _days,_ and eventually the object of his thoughts spilled out in a meeting with the Guild.  
  
“Did she wear a hood?” Jonouchi asked, sorting through his deck. Between Kaiba’s technology and the Millennium Items, the mythical beings in the Cards gave them a fighting chance against the Blight.  
  
“Yes…” Baron said, eyes narrowed as he picked some of his own cards.  
  
The blond bristled, a curse passing his lips. “Don’t even _look_ at her.”  
  
“Look at who?” Anzu asked, her own Cards and Disk in hand.  
  
“Baron ran into _Haru_ ,” Jonouchi spat her name.  
  
“Are you sure it was her, Jou? Baron, what’d she look like?”  
  
“Brown eyes, but I didn’t get a glimpse of her face otherwise. She wore a white-on-black outfit akin to a school uniform, but it wasn’t quite a school uniform. If she had a hunting weapon, I didn’t see it. I accidentally bumped into her while walking here late last week.”  
  
Anzu hummed to herself as she put her Cards in the Disk. “Jou, listen, I know you hate Haru but I still think we could talk to her. She’d be a great asset to our little crew.”

  
“If she’d actually _kill_ monsters, I probably wouldn’t hate her!” he only refrained from slamming a fist on the table to make sure he didn’t damage or lose his Cards. “But no, she _helps_ them, Anzu. She **_helps_ ** them! Sends them off to wizarding schools, the Underworld, whoever and whatever place’ll have ‘em!”  
  
Baron’s eye twitched, and he regretted that moment in time where all he saw was her eyes. _Of all the **rotten** luck. _ _Why on earth would anyone want to help_ **_monsters_** _, unless they’re one too?_


End file.
